Overview




Data Sources





Findings

Background

  • Halifax is a rural county of 34,000 with 60% of population being White, and 34% being Black
  • Racial disparities in income: White median income ($48,000) vs Black median income ($30,400)





Incarceration, Crime & Arrests

  • Crime, arrest, incarceration & jails vs prisons
  • Prison incarceration rates have consistently increased over the past 3-4 decades





Employment

  • Unemployment is a large indicator of crime and intersects w/ ecological model on multiple levels
  • Halifax has slightly higher unemployment rate than VA avg





Housing

  • Ecological model:
    • Policy: eligibility for low-income opportunities limited by prior convictions
    • Interpersonal: reintegration into the community
  • Size of annual number of jail discharges relative to subsidized housing capacity: 3x
  • Housing accessibility (physical proximity)





Substance Abuse

  • Opioid prescription rates are declining, but still higher than VA and USA
  • Steadily increasing rate of binge drinking
  • Policy level: racial disparities in marijuana possession (and drug-related crime)





Family Structure

  • Family structure highly affects child's development
  • Teen mothers more likely to drop out of high school, be unemployed, have lower incomes
    • Low levels of family supervision -> high rates of juvenile delinquency (cycle)
  • Teen births, housing opportunities, and racial discrepancies are all important aspects